1990 Subaru Legacy Problems

THE LOCK/LATCH ON MY CAR'S PASSENGER DOOR IS DEFECTIVE AND THE RECALL 90V18400 DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DOOR IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND COULD EASIY FAIL ANY DAY AND TRAP MY PASSENGER IN THE CAR. THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO THE FRONT DRIVERS DOOR. THE MANUFACTUER WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE. *AK

THE VEHICLE'S DOOR LOCKS EXPERIENCED THE DEFECT STATED IN RECALL 90 V 184 000 BUT IT'S VIN WAS OUTSIDE OF THE REMEDY SCOPE. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR THE DOOR. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WOULD LOCK ITSELF WHENEVER THE DOOR IS SHUT. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. NLM

I HAVE A 1990 SUBARU LEGACY. EACH TIME I TRY TO EXIT THE CAR THE DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. IT HAS AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS THAT ARE ACCUATED BY PUSHING THE DRIVERS DOOR LOCK. I HAVE HAD THE LOCK APART AND THE PROBLEM WITH ALL 4 OF MY DOOR IS THAT A SINGLE SPRING IN THE LOCK MECHANISM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE RETURN TO THE CLOSED POSITION AND TO HAVE THE LOCK BUYYON STAY OPEN. THE HANDLE IS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE SPRING AND THAT PART OF THE SPING KEEPS THE DOOR LOCK OPEN. WELL, THE DOOR LOCK PORTION OF THE SPRING IS WORN OUT AND EVERY TIME YOU USE THE DOOR HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE, THE WEAK HALF OF THE LOCK SPRING CLOSES THE LOCK. I AM A BATTALION CHIEF FOR A LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF A PROBLEM ONE MIGHT HAVE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THIS CAR IN A HURRY. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU WITH NO RELIEF. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 1990 - 1994 MODELS. OUR LOCAL PARTS HOUSES HAVE ALSO SAID THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE OTHER OWNERS THAT SAY THE SAME. IT IS $200.00 A DOOR TO REPAIR. PLEASE CONTACT ME ON THIS. THANKS [XXX][XXX]OR[XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

BOTH FRONTAL PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELTS FAIL TO OPERATE, WILL NOT GO AROUND THE TRACKS, LEAVING DRIVER AND PASSENGER WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT IF VEHICLE GETS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND WILLING TO GO HALF IN REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE LAP BELTS IN THIS VEHICLE HAVE COME APART AT THE "FLAP" WHERE THE BELTS SNAP INTO THE RECEPTACLE. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR IN SEVERAL SHOPS, AND NONE CAN GET REPLACEMENT BELTS. THE LATEST ATTEMPT WAS WITH THE SUBARU DEALER IN NEW ORLEANS, AND THEY HAVE "ORDERED THEM FROM JAPAN". SO FAR, NO BELTS. JUNK YARDS SOMETIMES HAVE THE BELTS, FOR $100, AND THEY ARE FAULTY TOO. WE WERE ADVISED BY THE SUBARU DEALER NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE BELTS ARE REPLACED, YET WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN NONE ARE AVAILABLE. THERE MUST BE MANY MORE 1990 SUBARU OWNERS WITH THIS SAME DILEMMA. IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE, AND WOULD BEAR INVESTIGATING. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *AK

THE CV BOOTS ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY NEED REPLACING. *AK

DESIGN FLAW OF RIGHT FRONT AXLE CAME OFF THE WHEEL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DEPEND ON REAR WHEEL DRIVE ONLY AND ALLOWED THE FRONT RIGHT DRIVE LINE SPIN AIMLESSLY, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS IN TRANSFER CASE. *AK

I ALSO PURCHASED AN 1992 SUBARU SVX THAT HAS A FAILED TRANSNISSION (SAME STYLE TRANNY) THIS CAR HAS 146000 MILES ON IT, II'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND IT APPEARS THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE, OUR LEGACY'S WENT OUT ON THE INTERSTATE, AND COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN FATAL

WHEN DRIVING 55 MPH OR ABOVE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS. VEHICLE DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN DRIVER TOOK OFF FROM A STOP WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES, VEHICLE TOOK OFF. SHIFTING THE VEHICLE TO NEUTRAL AND HEAVY BRAKE APPLICATION STOPPED THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 15 MINTUES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. *AK

SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RUN 90 MPH. YH

I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO SUBARU(EVEN THE CEO).SUBARU CASE # 203430.SUBARU WAS NOT INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE PART FOR EVALUATION AND DETERMING THE ROOT CAUSE OF FAILURE.(I STILL HAVE THE ABS UNIT ) THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE ABS HOUSING FELL APART. THREE BOLTS CAME OUT AND ONE WAS BROKEN OFF WITHIN THE HOUSING. ONCE THE HOUSING CAME OFF THE PISTON AND PARTS CAME ALONG.(THIS WAS ALL ON THE UNDERSIDE SO IT WAS NOT VISABLE UNTILL THE UNIT WAS REMOVED) I WAS TOLD BY SUBARU THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE PART BECAUSE " THE CAR IS OLD AND HAS A LOT OF MILEAGE , WHICH IS TRUE " ,IT STILL SHOULDN'T COME APART. THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER ABS THAT LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME , SO IT IS IN PRESENT PRODUCTION. ALL I WANTED FROM SUBARU WAS FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE INTEREST IN THIS FAILURE. THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN EVALUATE THIS FAILURE IS TO SEE WHAT WENT WRONG. YOU DO NOT DUMP ALL YOUR BRAKE FLUID BECAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM LITERALLY COMES APART. *AK

EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON AND VEHICLE WENT DOWN A HILL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE ON 7/17. HUSBAND SUSPECTS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. *AK

I NOTICED ANOTHER INCIDENT ON THE DATABASE REPORTING THIS SAME FAILURE. THE PLASTIC SHIELD TRAPS DEBRIS AGAINST THE FILLER PIPE CAUSING THE PIPE TO RUST THROUGH. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY '90 SUBARU LEGACYS ARE STILL ON THE ROAD, BUT I SUSPECT (GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST), THAT ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE THIS SAME CONDITION. EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT OF LEAKING, THEY MAY EASILY RUPTURE UPON IMPACT. *AK

FUEL FILLER PIPE LEAKING - FUEL PIPE RUSTED CAUSING FUEL TO DRIP FROM FILLER PIPE NEAR PASSENGER REAR TIRE. RUST CAUSED BY MUD/DIRT AND MOISTURE GETTING STUCK BETWEEN PLASTIC PIPE SHIELD AND FUEL PIPE.*AK

(1) THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR IS FINE; BUT IT COMES ON ONLY OCCASIONALLY; MECHANICS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM. (2) DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING CAUSES GREAT INCONVENIENCE; (3) SUN VISOR FALLING DOWN IMPAIRS VISION; VELCRO AND EVEN DUCT TAPE WON'T KEEP IT UP. *AK

DOOR HANDLES CONTINUALLY CRACKING.

FRONT AND REAR STRUTS FAILED.

FRONT BRAKE LINES REPLACED TWICE. *SD

EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE REQUIRED TO STOP VEHICLE, ALSO VEHICLE VIBRATES/BUCKS WHEN BRAKES APPLIED.

CAM BELT PULLEY LOSSENED FROM ITS SHAFT AND ALMOST FELL OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

POWER STEERING PIPE A AND PIPE B

VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL CONDITIONS OF STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ACCELERATING UPON BRAKING AND DIFFICULT STARTING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RUN 90 MPH. YH

HEADLIGHT DEVICE IS PLASTIC, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE WHEN TURNING HEADLIGHTS ON. DEALERSHIP IS NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE PLASTIC LENS MATERIAL BECOMES SIGNIFICANTLY LESS TRANSPARENT WITH TIME, DIMINISHING VISABILITY AT NIGHT. THE ADJACENT TURN SIGNAL LENS HAS NOT AGED. THIS INDICATES TO CONSUMER THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENS IS NOT MADE FROM THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE TURN SIGNAL LENS. *JG